New and dark light years

Chapter 186 Promotion
Li Lin returned home covered in blood and saw Huang Qing, dressed in full regalia, standing at the front, with Li Yanjing and Hongluan standing on either side behind them, followed by more than a dozen servants.

Huang Qinying bowed respectfully: "Congratulations on your triumphant return, County Commandant!"

The others were a beat slower, but then they also bowed at the same time: "Congratulations on your triumphant return, County Commandant."

Li Lin was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "We're all family, why make such a big fuss! Get up."

Huang Qing stood up, her eyes filled with a gentle, flowing light, brimming with admiration and love: "My lord fights fiercely on the front lines, facing countless dangers, while we women in the rear enjoy peace and tranquility. We are naturally extremely grateful for this."

Li Lin reached out and stroked Huang Qing's head.

With such a sensible and grateful woman around, men will be more willing and feel it is only right to fight for their country and home.

Hot water had been prepared in advance and kept warm by someone.

Once Li Lin got home, he could naturally wash his body directly.

Huang Qing and Hong Luan personally rubbed and massaged his back.

After taking a bath, Li Lin went to the 'Lin Yuan' minor spiritual vein to sit and rest.

After several lightning strikes, the spiritual energy in his body was almost completely depleted.

However, it must be said that the lightning strike spell driven by spiritual energy is truly powerful.

Even the Great Demon could be injured. Although the Lizard True Monarch had been greatly weakened by the Tree Fairy Lady at that time, Li Lin had only been practicing the Foundation Establishment Technique for a short time and did not have much spiritual energy in his body, yet he still possessed such power. If he practiced for a few more years... just thinking about it made him extremely excited.

Li Lin sat cross-legged in the minor spiritual vein for a whole night. Huang Qing and Hong Luan did not come to him for dual cultivation. They knew that Li Lin needed to recover his strength as much as possible at this time.

After all, the invading enemy has not truly retreated.

Li Lin 'woke up' at dawn. He felt that 80% of his spiritual power had been restored and he felt much more comfortable.

He had just stepped out of the house when he saw Li Yanjing standing outside.

"You've been waiting here all this time?"

“Yes!” Li Yanjing nodded: “The Tree Fairy Goddess used up a lot of incense last night to hold down that lizard head. Now she is trying her best to recover, so she may not be able to help you for the next few days. Be careful.”

Li Lin looked up and noticed that the illusion of the peach tree in the sky had indeed become 'faded', so he nodded.

After having breakfast, he went to the county government office.

Jiang Jili sat in the courtroom, his eyes were dark-circled, but he looked very excited.

Upon seeing Li Lin, he strode up to him and said excitedly, "I did a count last night. Do you know how many enemy soldiers you killed?"

"How many?"

"Seven hundred and thirty-one people were beheaded!" Jiang Jili's hands trembled uncontrollably. "You even killed a True Lord of the enemy army. So the fighting strength of our Yulin County is this strong? This achievement can directly elevate both of us to a higher rank."

Li Lin was silent for a moment, then asked, "Have we compiled the casualty figures yet?"

"Seventy-eight were seriously wounded, twenty-six were slightly wounded, and ninety-one local soldiers died in battle."

Li Lin sighed softly, then asked, "Has the compensation been calculated?"

"It's already been calculated."

"Give me the compensation money, and I will give it to them personally."

Jiang Jili was taken aback for a moment, then pursed his lips and said, "Fine, you deserve it."

Li Lin narrowed his eyes. What do you mean, "I deserve it"?

"Do you think I would embezzle these compensation payments?"

"Aren't you trying to win people's hearts?" Jiang Jili looked at Li Lin with a strange expression. "But this is indeed what you deserve. After all, you charged ahead last night. If it weren't for you, our Yulin County might have already fallen. I admire you for that."

Li Lin paused for a moment, then said, "I wasn't thinking about winning people's hearts. I just felt that since I brought them to the battlefield and they died in battle, I had a responsibility to ensure that their families received the full compensation they deserved."

Jiang Jili looked at Li Lin, puzzled and finding it somewhat unbelievable.

But then he saw Li Lin's eyes, which were like lake water.

Then he burst into laughter: "Yes, that's it, that's it! This is the most powerful art of bewitching hearts!"

Li Lin thought Jiang Jili was a bit crazy and couldn't be bothered to pay him any more attention.

Then Li Lin, accompanied by his constables, loaded boxes of copper coins onto a wooden cart and went to each of the fallen soldiers, one by one, to inform their families of their deaths. Hearing their sorrowful cries, he then distributed the compensation.

Li Lin spent the entire day in a gloomy mood.

In the evening, Li Lin returned to the county government office.

Then, unexpectedly, I saw Xiao Chunzhu.

"Your Excellency, County Commandant!" Xiao Chunzhu bowed, her face beaming with joy.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in Tianjin? Why did you come back? It must have been dangerous on the way."

Xiao Chunzhu smiled and said, "The enemy's main force was repelled by Prefect Huang this morning."

"So fast!"

“The Huang family of the capital…” Xiao Chunzhu looked at Li Lin with envy: “They are one of the most prominent families in the country, with a very deep foundation.”

Li Lin was fortunate to marry a woman from the Huang family.

Even if she is an illegitimate daughter, she is still blessed.

"And then you came back?"

“Yes.” Xiao Chunzhu smiled and said, “It was Prefect Huang who sent me back. He asked me to come and check on the situation. If necessary, he asked me to take the county magistrate and his wife away to stay in Tianjin.”

"Can you protect both of us by yourself?"

"I am certainly not capable, but actually, when I came here, I was accompanied by several experts. They went back after seeing that there was no danger here."

Li Lin was deeply moved; it seemed that Huang Yan still valued family ties.

In this situation, they still think about protecting their daughter, and incidentally, protecting themselves as well.

“County Commandant, I estimate that the remaining enemy troops can be wiped out by tomorrow in Tianjin.” Xiao Chunzhu continued, “The Prefect also said that if you have nothing to do here, please lead your troops to Beiliu County in four days.”

"What to do?"

"We'll see how things go, and then you can make the final decision. This is a token. In about three days, a force of three thousand men will come from Tianjin and will be at your command."

Xiao Chunzhu handed a token to Li Lin.

The envy in his eyes became even more pronounced.

Li Lin took it and saw that it was a plaque for "Military Commander-in-Chief," and he immediately understood.

It seems my father-in-law is about to start sharpening his knife.

He himself was a knife he trusted implicitly.

Xiao Chunzhu bowed and then withdrew.

Li Lin put away the token and returned to the barracks. Looking at the mountain of case files, he felt quite troubled.

Because most of the local militia were fighting outside last night, and the yamen runners were also on the city wall, some thugs took the opportunity to secretly cause trouble in the city.

More than a dozen people were murdered, and many women were sexually assaulted.

After reviewing several files, Li Lin summoned all the head constables: "These case files are all yours to handle. Remember... anyone who committed the crime last night will be punished even more severely!"

Those who dare to cause trouble in the rear during wartime should be severely punished.

All the constables clasped their hands in agreement.

Li Lin continued, "But I require you to have sufficient physical evidence before you can convict me. You cannot let me be wrongly convicted. Do you understand?"

The constables bowed their heads and agreed.

The constables then immediately set off with their officers to search for and investigate the case.

In just one night, they arrested quite a few people.

The next day, as soon as Li Lin arrived at the county government office, Jiang Jili came to visit him.

His expression remained excited, but when he looked at Li Lin, there was envy in his eyes: "I didn't expect that you would be promoted to Military Commander of Jin County South Road."

(End of this chapter)